Process for generating heat.



Patented Sgpt. 12, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

P. BEER.

PROCESS FOR GENERATING HEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.10.19J4.

I or P. BEER. I PROCESS FOR GENERATING HEAT.

1 APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1914. Patentedsept. 12,

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@723543 I Rad agar PAUL 'BEER,

0F DES MOINES, IOWA.

PROCESS FOR GENERATING HEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed January 10, 1914. SeriaI No. 811,284.

To all whom it m ag concern Be it known that I, PAUL BEER, of the UnitedStates, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa,have invented new and useful Improve: ments in Processes for GeneratingHeat, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements ingrateless gravity feed fire-boxes, for boiler furnaces, heatingfurnaces, kilns, etc., and in the method of generating heat therein.

In most localities bituminous coal is the cheapest fuel of those whichcan be used heating furnaces, tile brick and pottery kilns for burningclays and shales and many other arts, and practical experience showsthat this coal is the only fuel which is commercially feasible for usein the majority of these arts. As burned under the methods and in theappliances heretofore known however, the use of bituminous coal in thisclass of work is open to serious objections. In the first placebituminous coal is a very smoky fuel. The production of smoke isextremely wasteful, for smoke consists of finely divided particles ofunburned carbon and its appearance always indicates the presence ofinvisible combustible gases which have escaped from the process ofcombustion when ignited. Inasmuch as furnaces and kilns of the kind Ihave referred to, consume vast quantities of fuel, the degree of perinboiler furnaces,-

fection to which the elimination of smoke and the combustion of'itsattendant combustible gases can be carried, assumes from a commercialstandpoint vital importance. Again the large quantity of smoke issuingfrom bituminous coal, as it is now burned, makes it impossible to usethis coal as a heat producing agent for fine pottery kilns be cause ofthe effect of the smoke upon the ware in the kiln. In the second place,comparativctv expensive fuels are frequently substituted for' bituminouscoals inthese arts because some particular efl'ect upon the ware beingtreated, must be obtained, such as for instance a reducing action or anoxidizing action as the case may be, which cannot be obtained ifbituminous coal (as now burned) is used.

My invention has for one of its objects, a method and an appliance toeliminate the smoke nuisance and increase the heating caa citizen pacityof the fuel by igniting and burning all the combustible elementsthereof, which if left unburned would take the form of smoke, and allthe invisible combustible gases always associated with smoke, andthereby to prevent the formation of smoke and to derive the total heatcontent from the fuel.

Another object of my invention is to employ the heated ash and a portionof the devolatilized coals, for thepurpose of preheating the air used toaccomplish or promote combustion of the fuel.

Another object of my invention is to ren der practically automatic inoperation that portion of the fire-box, known as the coking table uponwhich a devolatilization of the fuel is caused to take place.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a grateless fire-box anunder-draft for combustion and a top draft, which according to myinvention may be employed for temperature control, heat distribution,heat characterization and'if necessary, to assist in fuel combustion.

Another object is to provide an air supply for furnaces or kilns whichwill be ample and under perfect control whereby the intermingling of theair and fuel will be so complete that every particle of the fuel comesin direct contact with some particle of oxygen, where-by no excess airwill be admitted to the absorbs a large percentage of the heat which.could be otherwise utilized in heating the products of the kiln.

My invention contemplates the combustion of the fuel in the fire-box bymeans of an under-draft which passes through heated ashes ordevolatilized coal, whereby the air which accomplishes combustion israised in temperature above the ignition point of the combustible gasesin the fuel. The air so pre-heated, next comes in contact with a supplyof fresh fuel being led to the fire and because of its high temperaturecombines with and ignites the volatile gases in the fuel immediatelyupon their liberation, thus promoting a thorough combustion and preventing the escape bf any combustible matter, whether in the form ofsmoke or in the form of combustible gases, from the com bustion chamber.

My invention provision of a top draft whereby the temfurnace or kiln.Excessair' further contemplates the perature may be controlled, wherebythe or near the fire-bed and whereby either an oxidizing or reducingheat. may be generated, this overdraft being under accurate and perfectcontrol.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts andin the method, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described andparticularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through afire-box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a hori- Zontal sectionthrough the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is atransverse section taken on the line 14 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectionalview showing a form of construction in which I use a rear bafiie arch.Fig. 6 is a modification showing another form of rear battle arch. Fig.7 is a sectional view on a horizontal frame showing the constrictedcombustion chamber as usedin connection with a rear baffle arch. Fig. 8is an elevation illustrating a conventional form of door for outeropening of the fire-box.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated one embodimentof my improved grateless gravity feed fire-box shown in connection witha boiler of a power plant. The fire-box herein disclosed forming thesubject-matter of the present invention comprises side-walls 10, a rearwall 11 and a front wall 12. A crown arch 13 rests upon the walls of thefire-box and a vertical partition 14 divides the same into two sections,each having a combustion chamber, 15. A water pit 16 is formed undereach section of the fire-box and are each covered by a floor 17. Aninlet 18 leads to the water pits whereby water may be supplied theretoin the usual manner and for a purpose which is common and well known tothose skilled within the art. The rear wall 11 has openings 19 formedtherein. It is to be noted that the openings 19 are of comparativelysmall area and further that these openings are located below the top ofthe combustion chamber 15. By so arranging the openings 19 the gases-inthe upper part of the chamber 15 flow-down through the opening 19 ontheir way to the surface to be heated, which in this illustration of theinvention is a boiler, the result being that there is a movement ofthese gases about in chamber 15 which promotes a thorough interminglingof these gases with the air comprising an over-draft which in turnresults in a more perfect combustion and heat control, as will beevident from the eX- planation and operation below. The openings .19connect the combustion chambers with a passageway 20 and the latterleads to the'heat expansion chamber below the boiler 21, as shown. Ashpitopenings 21' are formed within the front wall 12 of the structure anda crown arch 22 extends over each ash pit opening 21' to form a supportfor the front wall above the openings and each arch 22 is supplemented.by an arch ring 23., Fire-holes 24. are built within the A front wall ofthe structure above the ash pit openings and are each in communicationwith the combustion chambers. I have shown in Fig. 8 conventional doorswhich are applied to my fire box. These doors are mounted on hinges onthe side of the open! ing and provided with dampers. A specificdescription is unnecessary as they are very familiar in the art. Theyserve to regulate the air forming inthe top draft. Positioned over eachfire-hole is an arch 25 supplemented by an arch 26. Built within eachsection of the structure is a battle arch 27 each having one end thereofresting on a skew brick in the side walls of the structure and theirinner ends resting upon the partition 14;. Each balile arch 27 issupplemented by an arch 28 and the key bricks of the last mentionedarches are removed, forming the over-draft openings 29. A coking tablearch brick 30 is mounted on a metal arch plate 36 within each section ofthe structure behind the front wall 12 below the baffle arches 27. Thefront wall 12 is inclined when loading from each of the fireholeopenings 24 and has resting thereupon fire-brick 32 having their lowerends resting upon the split brick 31 of the coking table arch. Theforegoing parts of the structure are all made of suitable fire-brick orother suitable fire resisting material which will resist the destructiveaction ofheat.

Resting upon the inclined wall 32 is a coking table 33 made preferablyof high grade fire-brick or fire-clay slabs and its lower edge liesflush with the inner edge of the coking table arch 30 as shown. Restingupon the upper end of the coking table is afeeding table 34. preferablymade of metal. This feeding table is preferably L-shape in cross sectionas clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and its outer ends areflattened as at and are anchored within the walls of the structurewhereby the same will be rigidly held in place. The forward edge of thefeeding table 3-1 is beveled as shown to form substantially acontinuation of the coking table plate 33.

In the operation, of the furnace, as will be 'ments or combinationsextremitiesiof' this angle out as at i flg and are secured within thewalls of the structure whereby the same will be.

firmly heldl-ixifplace. In the firing of this grateless' gravity fe'edfire-box, the fire is started within'the ash-pit of the fire-box andcoalis slowly fed thereupon, until the. mass of'hot-coals reaches thearch 30. The. placed within the firefresh coali -is then opening uponthe coking table behind the baffle archJQ'Z'l and upon feeding plate34:. At this stage the activity of combustion may uously, rather thanintermittently, as uponcoking tables, such as have heretofore been inuse. The position and arrangement of the fire arch, baffle arch, feedingplate and coking table, are so constructed that it -is impossible for afireman to overload or slug the fire, except by the exercise ofunnecessary labor. At this stage of the firing, the coking table becomesincandescent during the process of burning and as the coal automaticallyfeeds down this incandescent table, the burning fuel is at all times inaheat zone, whose temperature is higher than the ignition point of thecombustible elethereof in the fuel. The air supply which producescombustion, flows through the opening 21'. Inasmuch as this air mustfirst pass through heated ashes and devolatilized coals before reachingthe fuel bed, its temperature is raised above the ignition point of thegases in the coal and these are ignited as fast as they are liberated. 7An important feature of my invention is that no green coal is everdirectly fed upon the devolatilized or glowing fuel. In operation thecoking table and associated parts soon become incandescent, a portion ofthe air passing up through the fuel bed also comes in contact with thefuel upon the coking table, particularly that upon the lower partthereof. Fuel feeding down the coking table, therefore is ignited anddevolatilized and isin a state of combustion during the feeding process.vents the formation of smoke, besides the temporary chilling of thefire, which is sure to take place if green coal is thrown directly uponglowing coal.

If the fuel used be a high ash, highly volatile coal, which clinkersbadly, the clinkers which will form under the coking table in fiont ofthe hot coals may after a time offer so much resistance to the passageof air that an insufficient quantity may come through the ash pit 21 toeffect complete combustion. The additional quantity of air plate areflattened quired to accomplish This absolutely pre-;

required to effect such combustion, may be admitted under the bafilearch 27, this quantity being-under perfect control and accuratelyregulated. This air which passes under the baflie arch takes a downwardcourse atthe inner face thereof and is highly heated-by the incandescentsurface of the bafile arch and-by the hot gases with which it comes incontact, before it reaches the fuel bed. All air therefore whetherderived from the under-draft or admitted under the battle reached thetemperature above the ignition point of the combustible products evolvedfrom the fuel before it reaches the fuel bed which causes a completeignition of the fuel on the fuel bed. The absolute control of the amountof air admitted at the top makes it unnecessary to admit any more airthan re complete combustion. In addition to this function the overdraftunder baflie arch 27 as well as the overdraft through baftle archopening 29, both of which are under perfect control, may be used tocharacterize the heat, that is to proarch 27 has, according to myinvent1on duce an oxidizing heat. By entirely closing 1 the top openingand depending solely upon the under-draft through the ash pit, areducing heat is produced, these effects being necessary in burningcertain special products. The over-draft through opening 29 in thebattle arch may also be used for heat distribution as for forcing theheated products of combustion out from the fire-box through a low. duct,as is-necessary in certain types of kilns. There are therefore, threepoints of air admission, through the ash pit 21, through the baffle archopening 29 and under the baffle arch 27 and between it and the fuel onthe coking. table 33.

In Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive,,'I have disclosed a rear bafile arch which isparticularlyusenel form communicating from combustion chamber 15directly to the heat expansion flue conduit 41. In the process ofburning, the baffle arch 40 soon becomes incandescent and serves tohighly heat the air admitted through opening 29 before the passage ofthis air into the kiln. The auxiliary bafiie arch 40\also serves tothoroughly mingle air admitted through opening 29 with the highly heatedgaseous products of combustion generated in the burning process. Thisbattle arch moreover, if air is not admitted through opening 29, stillserves a' purpose, in that by setting up an agitation or an eddy in thegas flow, it serves to thoroughly mix and then equalize the temperatureof the heated products of combustion flowing from the furnace proper tothe kiln. Fig. 6 shows a modification particularly adaptable tounder-draft pottery kilns. In this figure the flue l2 and the horizontalunder flue 43 lead the heated products of combustion to the ware to betreated. I have provided in this modification, a funnel shaped roof L4:for the combustion chamber 15 and at the lower edge of the roof 44 Ihave provided the rear battle arch 45, the top of which is preferablymore or less in a plane with the top of the flue l3, though this is notnecessary. The battle arch L5 as used in connection with this type ofkiln or burner operates as follows. Cold air when admitted throughopening 29 being heavier than that within the heating chamber 15,rapidly flows down against the funnel-shaped structure 44 and flowsthrough the baffle arch 45. The roof 44 and the baffle arch 45 areincandescent and since the air admitted through opening 29 flows alongin contact with these surfaces, it is itself highly heated, partly bythe surfaces 4% and 45 and partly by thorough admixture with the highlyheated products of combustion in the combustion chamber 15. The downwardimpetus or momentum however, of the air flowing through the opening 29and deflected by the surfaces 44 and 45 is suflicient to causeconsiderable gas motion along flue 43 whereby the heated products ofcombustion are disseminated equally through the kiln. This arrangementand construction prevents the products of combustion from flowing upflue to the disadvantage as regards heat conduction of flue 43.

It is to be understood that the rear bafile arches illustratedin Figs. 5and 6 may be used interchangeably, although I prefer the modificationdisclosed in Fig. 6 for the particular type of kiln there illustrated:that each of these rear battle arches serves a use.- ful purpose,whether or not air is admitted through openings 29 or under arch 30,because it serves to thoroughly stir up and mix the products ofcombustion in the fire chamber; that While it is preferable to constrictthe fire chamber at its rear, as shown in Fig. 7, this is not necessary;and finally that the rear bafile arch as disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 andthe constriction of the combustion chamber 15 as disclosed in Fig. 7constitutes features, any of which might be applied with advantageousresults to the specific form of the furnace disclosed in Fig. 1. lVhenthe combustible gases have been completely ignited and consumed, thehighly heated products of combustion, from the volatile gases and thelive coals, pass through openings 19 into the kiln or against whateversurface, such as 21, is to be heated.

It is of course to be understood that a fire-box according to myinvention, may be used and installed in types of kilns or furnaceshaving up or.down drafts with the, same successful results.

A furnace designed and constructed, in accordance with this invention,will supply approximately the correct quantity of air at the highestpossible temperature required for complete combustion, will permit theuse of cheap fuel for all varieties of burning, and will permit theperfect regulation of the heat produced whether as to its character,temperature or distribution.

I claim 1. The method of generating heat which consists in arranging asupply of burning fuel in a grateless fire-box, igniting said fuel onthe fuel bed by an underdraft passing through the heated ashes anddevolatilized coals, gradually feeding a supply of fuel to the fuel bedmeanwhile supporting said fuel partially by said fuel bed and partiallyindependently of the fuel bed to relieve the fuel bed of the weightthereof, introducing another air supply to the supply of fuel,preheating said second air supply above the ignition point of thecombustible gases evolved from the fuel supply, whereby ignition of saidgases will be completed previous to the entry of said fuel to the fuelbed, and combustion will be completely consummated in the fire.

2. The method of generating heat which consists in partially supportingfuel prior to .its entry to a fuel bed by means independent of the fuelbed and partially by the fuel bed, devolatilizing said fuel, andinstantly igniting the gases evolved therefrom while the fuel is beingfed to the fuel bed, permitting the fuel to feed gradually to thefuelbed and completely igniting the devolatilized fuel upon the fuel bedby permitting access thereto of air preheated above the ignition pointof the combustible elements of the fuel and in thereafter tempering thehighly heated gaseous products of combustion by mingling therewith acontrolled air supply.

3. The process of generating heat from fuel comprising the arranging ofa fuel supply in a bank or bed and continuously and gradually feeding afresh supply thereto, supporting said fuel supply prior to its entry tothe fuel bed partially by means independent of the fuel bed andpartially by said fuel bed, preheating atmospheric air above theignition point of the combustible elements evolved from the fuel andadmitting the preheated air to completely ignite the combustibleelements evolved from the fuel while the latter is being fed to the fuelbed and also admitting preheated air to completely consume ordecarbonize the nonvolatile combustible elements of the fuel in the fuelbed, and controlling the quantity of air so admitted to prevent theadmission of air in excess of the quantity required to perform either ofthese functions.

4. The method of generating heat which consists in arranging a supply ofburning fuel in a bank or bed in a grateless fire box,

consuming said fuel in the fuel bed by a heated underdraft passingthrough heated ashes and devolatilized coals, gradually feeding a freshsupply of fuel down an inclined support, which bears most of the weightthereof, to theffuel bed while maintaining a continuous bed of fuelbetween the fuel bed and the green fuel on the inclined support,devolatilizing said fresh supply and instantly igniting the combustiblegaseous products evolved therefrom by a second draft preheated byradiation from and contact with heated surfaces prior to and during itscontact with said fresh fuel supply.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specificationin the presence of two Witnesses.

PAUL BEER.

Witnesses:

SEBASTIAN HrnTON, FRED H. POTTER.

